OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION
The Guardians’
stories.
Spark a sense of wonder.
Nurture respect.
A project to introduce children and adults to the world of tortoises: stories to share, questions to carry with us and knowledge for responsible choices.
Editorial project in development
THE THREAD THAT CONNECTS EVERY STORY
Not a toy.
Not just a character.
A life to respect.
Imagination opens a door. Knowledge teaches us to step through it with care.
EDUCATION IS A FORM OF PROTECTION
Before caring for a tortoise,
learn to understand it.
A tortoise can inspire enormous curiosity. We want to guide that curiosity beyond the desire to own an animal: towards listening, observation and respect for a life different from our own.
This is why The Guardians’ stories project was conceived. It brings the pleasure of a story together with the serious questions a family should ask: what does welcoming an animal mean? Who will care for it over time? Are we ready to put its needs before our preferences?
Our aim is not to encourage purchases. It is to foster a more thoughtful relationship with animals, including when the most responsible choice is to learn about them without keeping them.
FOR CHILDREN
The wonder
of discovery.
Characters, small surprises and simple questions: a story becomes an invitation to look closely, without turning the animal into an object for play.
Each story will be designed for a stated age group and to be read, listened to or discussed with an adult.
FOR PARENTS AND ADULT EDUCATORS
The responsibility
of a choice.
Alongside each story, a clear space to understand its educational message and continue learning. Children can take part in discovery with the guidance of an informed adult.
Stories complement knowledge; they do not replace it. Reliable information and consultation with a veterinarian remain essential to animal care.
An encounter that teaches. Not a gift without commitment.
A tortoise can teach a child to wait, observe and respect a life different from their own. But it is not a toy, nor an ‘easier’ alternative to a dog or cat.
Responsibility remains with the adult: understanding the species’ needs, providing a suitable environment, meeting the costs of care and considering who can look after it over time. A child’s interests may change; the animal’s needs remain.
The first lesson can be very practical: let the tortoise rest, do not take it out of its shelter to show someone, and do not pick it up just to play. When it withdraws, it is not entering a little house separate from its body: its shell is a living structure integrated with the skeleton, not merely a covering.
This is the perspective we want The Guardians’ stories to nurture. The stories will have their editorial home on Tartarughe di Terra; here, we explain their educational purpose. Learning to love an animal does not require owning it. Sometimes the most respectful choice begins with getting to know it without taking it home.
The carapace is part of the body: find out why →
Reference on shell structure: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Healing on Turtle Time (accessed 23 September 2026).
FROM IMAGINATION TO KNOWLEDGE
The truth within this story.
This is where storytelling meets reality. Each episode will include a section explaining what we imagined and what we can take into everyday life as knowledge.
01
A story
A situation close to children’s experience, told gently and without fear or guilt.
02
A discovery
An accessible explanation, distinct from the character’s voice. Any real animals will be introduced only through verified information.
03
A conversation
A question, an activity that does not involve handling animals, and further reading for the adult: the story continues beyond the last page.
FIRST PROPOSED THEME · STORY TO BE DEVELOPED
A beautiful garden —
but for whom?
An immaculate lawn, a corner of freer-growing vegetation and a question: does what pleases our eyes always match what an animal needs?
Inspired by observations at the Sanctuary, this theme shapes the educational journey: learning to see a garden from the animal’s perspective. The stories are in development.
A question to share today
‘If you were designing a space for a life different from your own, which questions would you start with?’
Try drawing it together. Then distinguish what you have imagined from what you still need to learn.
ONE PROJECT, MANY WAYS TO TELL IT
To read. To listen to.
One day, to hold as a book.
The planned first step is a complete illustrated story with a guide for adults. From that foundation, we could develop an audio story and a video story with animated illustrations and subtitles.
Illustrated stories, animations and books are possibilities to develop from the first stories. Alongside the family programme, we envisage more in-depth reading for adults, using different forms of expression with the same commitment to knowledge.
Stories, videos and books are the path we hope to build. The editorial catalogue is in development.
THE FOUNDATION
The purpose of the mission.
Here we explain why the project exists, its educational principles and its actual progress. Animal protection remains the guiding thread.
TARTARUGHE DI TERRA
The editorial home of the stories.
Tartarughe di Terra is the planned home for the stories, characters and family learning journeys. The link leads to the editorial website, not to an already available story collection.
Building a culture of respect together.
Writers, illustrators and educators can contribute different perspectives and skills. We are looking for people who can combine wonder, clarity and respect for animals.
Collaboration proposals are for adults. We do not ask children to register, provide photographs or personal data, or make donations.